‘Israeli’ Court Rejects Appeal for Release of Hunger-striking Palestinian Prisoner Khalil Awawdeh

By Staff, Agencies

A Zionist occupation court rejected the appeal request submitted for the release of Palestinian prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, who has been on an open-ended hunger strike for 156 days.

Palestinian WAFA news agency cited Awawdeh’s lawyers on Monday as saying that he is on a months-long hunger strike in protest at his administrative detention without charge or trial by the ‘Israeli’ occupation regime.

Chairman of the Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission Qadri Abu Baker said the Zionist regime and the prison officials are fully responsible for the life of Awawdeh, who suffers from severe health conditions following days of hunger strike.

Additionally, the commission’s spokesman, Hasan Abed Rabbo, told the agency that the health condition of Awawdeh is getting worse day by day.

He added that the Palestinian prisoner has lost more than half of his weight and suffers from weakness, acute joint pain, headaches, severe dizziness, and blurred vision. He even could not recognize his wife who visited him at hospital.

According to Palestinian officials, Awawdeh now requires a wheelchair to help him move.

On Sunday, Abed Rabbo said Awawdeh has reached a critical stage after his long hunger strike and can face irreversible health consequences any moment.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club, which represents former and current prisoners, confirmed that Awawdeh’s condition had worsened.

“He is in a real life-threatening situation,” said Qadura Fares, the head of the organization, warning that “He could die at any moment.”

Awawdeh, from the West Bank city of al-Khalil, was arrested on December 27, 2021. He went on hunger strike for 111 days before suspending it following promises. After the promises turned out to be false, he resumed the strike, demanding his freedom. The Tel Aviv regime issued an order to renew his administrative detention for a period of four months from June 26 to October 25 despite his highly critical health condition.

Thousands of Palestinians are held in Zionist prisons, and have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes in an attempt to express outrage at the detentions.